Comments on: Darius Rucker — “Wagon Wheel”http://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=darius-rucker-wagon-wheel
A Roots Music PublicationMon, 29 Dec 2014 01:36:34 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1By: Luckyoldsunhttp://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/#comment-100969
Sat, 19 Jan 2013 00:29:32 +0000http://www.engine145.com/?p=21564#comment-100969“I tried to point that out by saying that the original statement wasn’t comparative, but evidently that went right over some folks’ heads.”

You got it Jonno. I’m just too damn stupid to grasp the brilliance that you uniformly project.

But I think “Wagon Wheels” has a certain mystical or poetic quality, a la Kristofferson or Ian Tyson (listening to the song for the second or third time, you may actually absorb some meaning that you didn’t get on first listen) that sets it apart from–and above–your typical Kenny Chesney island song.

]]>By: Barry Mazorhttp://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/#comment-100419
Fri, 18 Jan 2013 02:27:41 +0000http://www.engine145.com/?p=21564#comment-100419As I said, Jon, we see that differently. Period.
]]>By: Jonhttp://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/#comment-100391
Fri, 18 Jan 2013 00:56:00 +0000http://www.engine145.com/?p=21564#comment-100391“…a plausible interpretation is that he’s suggesting that even a minimal amount of “substance” is enough to make the song stand out in comparison to what’s out there now.”

That would be plausible if, oh, something like “compared with” or “in comparison to” were in the original. Which there isn’t anything like that there. I tried to point that out by saying that the original statement wasn’t comparative, but evidently that went right over some folks’ heads.

Barry, that’s a nice try, but – to take up the comparison theme – how is that “I wanna be where it’s warm and sunny” theme any more substantive or deeper or more artfully handled here than in, say, any of those Kenny Chesney islands songs so widely sneered at around here? You’d think a substantive paean to the South would, among other things, get its geography right.

I’m happy to grant you the sing-along-ability-ness of the chorus (though not the “blues” part of your “blues-rock”), but it doesn’t relate to that theme (unless you’re arguing that people can’t or don’t, uh, rock, in cold weather states) and isn’t any more substantive than, oh, “hey ho a leena.” I’ve got nothing against feel-good singalongs, but their virtues are usually to be found somewhere else than in what’s generally meant by “substance.”

]]>By: Barry Mazorhttp://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/#comment-100359
Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:42:17 +0000http://www.engine145.com/?p=21564#comment-100359I think the song does have “substance”–an almost totally subjective term, but I’m in a sometimes subjective line of work.

The verses’ evocation of the move from the frozen north to the the hot South, and explicitly and by suggestion deeper into the music that goes with that, capped by the explosive blues-rock chorus that I’ve seen a Ryman-ful of audience swaying and singing, with that a effective “release” sort of feel to it–well, I think that’s all very skillful.

That it’s become a sort of anthem of heading musically South and sexually ready seems completely understandable to me. I think it’s a terrific song that does what it means to.

]]>By: luckyoldsunhttp://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/#comment-100353
Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:27:57 +0000http://www.engine145.com/?p=21564#comment-100353“I’m still waiting to hear what the song has in the way of ‘substance'; the original statement wasn’t qualified or comparative, it called it ‘a song of some substance.'”

Actually, I think the insertion of the word “some”–as in “some substance”–does constitute a qualifier.

I can’t say I know for sure why Sam put it in there, but a plausible interpretation is that he’s suggesting that even a minimal amount of “substance” is enough to make the song stand out in comparison to what’s out there now.

]]>By: Mike Wimmerhttp://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/#comment-99646
Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:02:51 +0000http://www.engine145.com/?p=21564#comment-99646It’s an ok version of the song, more than anything I’m just glad someone besides the usual Music Row suspects are gonna be getting some nice royalty checks from radio for a change. It’s like when the Eli Young Band covered “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”, was a huge fan of their cover itself? No, but at least the Peach Pickers or some of the other crappy mainstream Country writers wouldnt be getting ANOTHER big check for mailing in a truck song.
]]>By: Jonhttp://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/#comment-99587
Wed, 16 Jan 2013 22:58:31 +0000http://www.engine145.com/?p=21564#comment-99587Well, I listened to Rucker’s version. I like it better than Old Crow’s, but I still would just as soon never hear (much less have to play) “Wagon Wheel” again.

In the meantime, I’m still waiting to hear what the song has in the way of “substance”; the original statement wasn’t qualified or comparative, it called it “a song of some substance.” I’ll stipulate that doesn’t have anything to do with whether it’s enjoyable or not (and unlike some of its defenders, I’ve never said or even implied that a song has to be substantive in any respect to be worthwhile, much less enjoyable), so let’s not be distracted by that, eh?

This isn’t a question about taste, it’s a question about music criticism and analysis. As Clara Peller said, where’s the beef? You want to tell me you love love love it, fine; that puts you in with a big bunch of people. You want to tell me it’s “a song of some substance,” I want to know exactly where you see it.

]]>By: Leeann Wardhttp://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/#comment-99531
Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:58:51 +0000http://www.engine145.com/?p=21564#comment-99531I love this song and look forward to it’s potential run on mainstream radio. To me, this is the most engaged that Rucker has sounded in his country career so far. Of course, OCMS still has the definitive version, but I like this version much better than I imagined I would.
]]>By: Sam G.http://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/#comment-99496
Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:10:17 +0000http://www.engine145.com/?p=21564#comment-99496Compared to many of his other singles, yes
]]>By: Jonhttp://www.engine145.com/darius-rucker-wagon-wheel/#comment-99480
Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:38:33 +0000http://www.engine145.com/?p=21564#comment-99480But that doesn’t mean I can’t wonder what the hell Sam’s talking about when he calls it “a song with some substance.” Really? Substance?
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